⁷ You learned this from Epaphras,^(A) our dearly loved fellow slave. He is a faithful servant of the Messiah^(B) on your^[a] behalf, ⁸ and he has told us about your love in the Spirit.^(C)

Prayer for Spiritual Growth

⁹ For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking^(D) that you may be filled with the knowledge^(E) of His will^(F) in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,^{[b] 10} so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work^(G) and growing in the knowledge of God.^{(H) 11} May you be strengthened^(I) with all power,^(J) according to His glorious^(K) might, for all endurance and patience, with joy ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you^[c] to share in the saints’^[d] inheritance in the light.^{(L) 13} He has rescued^(M) us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom^(N) of the Son^(O) He loves.^{(P) 14} We have redemption,^[e] the forgiveness of sins, in Him.

¹⁶ I said to myself,^[a] “Look, I have amassed wisdom far beyond all those who were over Jerusalem before me,^(A) and my mind has thoroughly grasped^[b] wisdom and knowledge.”

²⁴ False messiahs^[a] and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray,^(A) if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ Take note: I have told you in advance.

Difficult Times Ahead

3 But know this: Difficult times will come in the last days.^(A)

⁷ always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.^(A)